Fred

your picture stares at me every day,

it sits on top of the printer

next to my computer,

I talk to you but you never hear,

the distance between us

is too great,

I am your grandpa,

your mom was my

little girl;

you make me smile

on the inside;

we've met a couple times,

but I don’t think you

will remember,

just as I don’t remember

my grandfathers;

we were both too young;

I miss you,

just as I miss my other

grandchildren (your cousins);

Adam,

Rachel,

Holly,

Hannah;

I hope someday

you will get the chance

to know them,

along with your aunts,

Erin and Erika,

but I don’t know if

that will be possible,

outside of occasional

encounters, a day or two

at a time,

your grandmother

misses you also;

terribly;

it is probably harder

for her than me,

but she never talks

about it or complains;

she is stronger than me;

which is a very good thing,

otherwise we never would

have made it through 35 years;

you will do well if you

inherit her strength;

you have two great aunts

on my side of the family,

and one great aunt and two

great uncles on your

grandmothers side,

along with dozens of

first and second cousins on

both sides,

you also have a great grandfather

and grandmother who are very

good people,

they live in Michigan,

hopefully, someday,

you’ll get to know them also;

whether we get to know each

other or not,

you are a part of me,

and I am a part of you,

just as the grandfathers

who I never knew,

are a part of me;

and you too;

grow up to be a good man,

just like your father,

and his father,

and his father,
and your father's
mother's father;

whom you were named after;

I love you.

.

.